You're Welcome
by Herbblade
Summary: gwen: Sasuke's return to Konoha. Oneshot, Team 7 fluff. Read and Review.


_My tribute to those of you waiting for __Scarecrows and Stars__ to be updated._

_A random one-shot I thought up while mentally abusing Sasuke for being an idiot and leaving Konoha. Enjoy._

_Disclaimer: if you can read this, you can read the first word directly to the left._

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sakura wiped her forehead as she finished with her patient. The hospital was calming down for the evening, even though it was only dinner-time. Sakura mentally contemplated what she would have to eat as she left the hospital room.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Naruto stared. "You—"

He gulped. He'd been waiting for this for so long, and now, it was here. He had done little, Sasuke was withdrawn, he'd accepted he was going back. He'd practically given himself up.

_"Sasuke! You're coming back with me! Today!" Naruto stood tall, his sixteen-year old body__ clad in orange __and __looking like a beacon in the tree. Sasuke stared up at his ex-teammate blankly. He was alone, but so was Naruto._

_"I don't get it. I killed him. Why do I feel so empty? Why?? It wasn't supposed to be this way!! I'm stronger… I proved it."_

_"Sasuke-teme? You still have your other goal. But first, you have to come back to Konoha. I have to fulfill MY goal!" __And that was that._

_They spent the next five hours making their way to Konoha. Sasuke spoke little, but Naruto filled the silence.__ He told his… friend about everything that had happened since he'd left._

Naruto finished his sentence. "You're home. Teme. Now we have to find Baa-san! And Sakura-chan!!" He bounded off, pulling his friend behind. The guards let him in without comment. But Naruto noticed their wide-eyed looks that seemed to say, "He actually did it??"

Naruto gave them a thumbs up. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto, what'd'ya expect?" And they passed through the gates. Naruto had stopped dragging Sasuke, but was keeping his speed up, so he might as well have been.

They passed Ichiruka's. It was filling up with customers, some of whom Sasuke thought he recognized. They passed the Uchiha complex. Sasuke didn't look at it. He'd deal with that later.

They ran into Hinata, who, instead of fainting, smiled and congratulated Naruto. Naruto beamed at her and they moved on, leaving Hinata feeling victorious and weak at the knees.

They finally reached the Hokage Tower.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Shishou, Shizune-san, have you seen Naruto today?"

Tsunade looked up from the dreaded hospital paper work. "He went on some training mission. He should be back by now, probably getting ramen. It's your day to get food today, right?"

Sakura sighed. She then took orders and left to get the food. And the sake.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE'S NOT HERE??" Sasuke winced as Naruto yelled at the Chuunin.

"She's at the hospital! Where else would you expect???"

"Oh." Naruto huffed out of the Tower, Sasuke still following, but with slightly more interest. Naruto headed for the hospital. "Hey, teme! This is great! Now we'll see Sakura-chan and Baa-san at the same time!"

Sasuke smirked.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They reached the hospital with no more problems. Naruto burst in with his usual tact. "Where's Baa-san??" The nurse looked at him haughtily.

"Who?"

"Tsunade-baa-san!"

"You mean the Hokage-sama."

"Yeah, sure, whatever. Where is she?"

"Third floor. She'll be eating soon though, so you shouldn't…" The nurse was talking to thin air. Naruto was already headed to the third floor, dragging Sasuke with him.

"Dobe, slow down." Naruto ignored him. Sasuke sighed.

"BAA-SAN!! Look who I found!!!" Naruto burst into the Hokage's hospital 'office'. The Godaime Hokage looked up from her paper work and her mouth fell open. Shizune was in a similar state of shock.

"How-??"

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto!"

This was, of course, the moment Sakura chose to burst in with the food.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sakura opened the door with her foot since her hands were full. She walked quickly in and was surprised when there was someone _right there._ Sakura stopped, at the same time stepping to the side.

All those years of dodging Tonton had paid off. She didn't hit anyone.

Deciding to yell at the roadblock later, Sakura set the food down. "Here it is Shishou! I almost didn't get the sake because the man wouldn't sell it to a 'minor'. Even though everyone knows it's for you."

Sakura blew a strand of hair out of her face impatiently. She then turned. "So who's here blocking the do- _Sasuke." _

Sakura stared. Sasuke felt nervous for the first time in years. Naruto had accepted him. Had welcomed him back. But while Sasuke had put Naruto through pain, he knew he'd put Sakura through worse. So he reacted in typical Uchiha style.

"Sakura." And that was it. Sakura jumped on him. She tried to say something, maybe his name, but started crying. She clung to him, burying her face in his shirt. Naruto grinned, tears forming in his eyes as well.

Sasuke felt… overwhelmed. He awkwardly patted Sakura's back and fought his own tears. This was not what he had expected it to be.

Sakura looked up. She gulped; she knew what she'd have to do. She lifted her hand and put it on his face. "Sasuke…"

She hit him. Not a smack, or some half-hit. Full out punch. It wasn't infused with chakra, for which Sasuke thanked Kami, and he'd been through worse but still…

"You left me on a BENCH! Just said 'Thank you' and left me!!" Sakura glared at him.

Sasuke stared. Suddenly he started to feel whole. They had forgiven him. They had _welcomed_ him. He saw Sakura was smiling and laughing and crying. Her face was radiant. Naruto was crying, although he'd never admit it. Sasuke realized he could understand why they were crying, his eyes were almost _wet_.

"Sakura… Thank you." He hugged her, and the words that once brought her pain filled her with joy. She hugged him back.

"You're welcome."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Yeah… I actually like this one. It's not really romantic, but is good. Once again, his was pulled out of the top of my head while day-dreaming.__ A little much crying, but whatever, it's expected._

_LOOK! It's a nice purple button! Don't you want to push it?? And all you have to do is leave a review and your dreams will come true, thanks to the purple button__ (dream-granting ability not guara__nteed, please see your local Purple-Button™ retailer for details) _

_Gwen _


End file.
